Santa Cruz County startups vie for top prize in Monterey Bay Business Plan Competition

SANTA CRUZ -- Santa Cruz resident Joshua Mezher was working his way through college as a flower trimmer when he came up with an idea for an electric shears where the user could select the width of the blade for the job. His company is Hydrogarden Industry Innovations.

Simon Cassar of Watsonville, who invented a broom that he touts as unbreakable, wants to put his next invention, an unbreakable handle for janitorial tools, on the market. His company is FlexSweep Industries.

Darius Mohsenin of Santa Cruz has an idea to help online sellers and buyers by hosting a warehouse site for merchandise drop-off and pick-up and charging users a commission. His company is PostHost.

All three Santa Cruz County startups made it into the final round of the venture category of the 2013 Monterey Bay Business Plan Competition.

That's the category with a prize of $50,000 in cash and services for a company expected to bring a 10 percent return in three to five years.

Mezher left UC Santa Cruz without finishing a degree to pursue his invention, which has "touch pad blade control."

He said he's got "a prototype about $20,000 away from completion" and is $250,000 away from launch.

Cassar is finishing the engineering for his new device, called the MultiPro, according his wife Emilie.

"If he can get this product going, he can hire people to do manufacturing," she said.

Mohsenin envisions his startup creating jobs once it goes regional and national. He's looking for $50,000 in startup capital and expects to charge a commission of 25 percent to 40 percent to warehouse items for sale.

He pointed out that many eBay drop sites folded because they paid high rent for retail space, which he plans to avoid by leasing low-cost warehouse space.

The three locals will vie with eight others for the top prize May 3 at the Monterey Institute for International Studies in Monterey.

Astropreneur, based in San Benito County, won "crowd favorite" honors at Startup Weekend in January at Cal State Monterey Bay.

In the Main Street category, which offers a $5,000 prize, Jaimi Ellison of Santa Cruz Core Fitness will pitch for an expansion into corporate wellness, performance training and rehab.

"They were stoked on our group," Ellison said of the judges who heard her speak at Friday's preliminary round. "They asked if we would have a location in Monterey County."

She will compete with 3 of a Kind, a sparkling juice drink company in Monterey County mentored by Keith Holtaway of Santa Cruz; Open Ground Studios, an art school in Seaside; and Sangha Energy Inc. of San Benito County.

Chocolates by the Sea, Drivers on Demand, Monterey Motor Club and ShowerPonic Produce, all of Monterey County, will vie in the student category, where the prize is $1,000.